ABB secures $640m HVDC project in India

ABB has secured a $640m project and has partnered with electricity grid, operator Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) to deliver a transmission link to cater to the electricity needs of more than 80 million people.

The 800 kilovolt (kV) ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) system will span across a length of 1,830km to connect Raigarh in Central India to Pugalur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The transmission link will have capacity of 6000megawatts (MW). Its two-way link will deliver thermal and wind energy to distant high consumption centres while catering to electricity demands in the south where wind strength is low and deliver clean energy to the north which experience high wind power.

ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer said: “Delivering reliable electricity to India’s energy demand centers is a top priority for the Indian government to support the country’s impressive growth momentum.

“ABB is strongly committed to India for more than a century and with this new long distance transmission link, we are delivering the benefits from the Energy Revolution to the country building on the strength of our strong local manufacturing footprint.

“With our state-of-the-art UHVDC technology, we enable the balancing of renewable and conventional electricity supply over long distances in a smart and reliable way.”

This project constitutes the sixth HVDC project of ABB in India and the second UHVDC installation after establishing the multi-terminal North-East Agra link which is undergoing its final phase of completion.

With a total value of $840m, the project will also be executed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) who is in consortium with ABB.